To the Very End
by Foresabaly
Summary: Ignis wakes up to find that his sight has not improved, and he realizes he must adjust to a new way of life. Despite the obstacles he knows he will have to overcome, he is determined to fulfill his duties as royal advisor to Prince Noctis.


It was the morning after the city of Altissia was destroyed, but Ignis realized he had no concept of how much time had passed since then. Instead, his mind kept replaying his last few memories from the evacuation. He could still hear the screams of people around him as they watched in horror to see their homes and land be destroyed. Even the Empire was trying to flee from the wrath of Leviathan as quickly as possible. The last thing Ignis saw was the chancellor's aircraft, heading toward the altar where Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya were. His heart filled with dread. He knew he had to stop it, but that was when the explosion hit. He remembered the sensation of pain first hitting his face, his glasses shattering, and the agony of flesh being ripped off near his eye. Then came the smell of his skin burning as he recoiled and fell to the ground. His eyes grew dim from the damage. He cradled his face in pain, but tried his best to pull himself back up. The prince needed him. He took a staggered step forward before falling back down again. His memories faded after that as he drifted into unconsciousness. He wished he could recall more, but instead he woke up to find himself in a quiet room on a clean bed, while the distant memories of chaos played in the back of his mind.

All he could feel was pain, searing all over his face. It was too painful to try to open his eyes. Every time he tried, he would stop as soon as his eyelids began to part. He could feel the flesh on his face - torn, burned, and distorted. By the time any doctors could look at him, enough damage had been done. They had stopped the bleeding and had disinfected the area, but there was little else they could do.

Ignis understood the consequences when he realized his sight had left him. He had spent his entire life in service to guide and protect Prince Noctis, and would gladly give his life if the situation called for it. Thankfully, he managed to survive the evacuation from Leviathan, but he realized that in some ways, death would have been an easier path to take than the one that now lay before him. How could he be advisor to the prince with no sight? How would he be able to protect him? The thought of being unable to follow his calling ate at him. Ignis knew no other life. He wanted to stay by the prince's side, and he knew Noctis needed help. Gladiolus told him that they finally located the prince unconscious beneath the waves created from the fight between Leviathan and Titan. They rescued him as soon as they could, and were tending to him as he remained in a coma. Ignis wished he could be of help. He could sense that Gladiolus was worn thin after everything that had happened, but he didn't want to be another burden on the group. Their focus was to be on His Highness, and Ignis began to wonder if Noct would ever recover.

But just as quickly as those thoughts appeared, Ignis shook them from his mind. How foolish he was! The moments in life that were bleak and uncertain were just as much a part of the job he had spent his whole life preparing for. He was advisor to the heir apparent! He was to always be calm, focused, and strong for when the king couldn't be. As long as there was hope that Noctis was alive, he would fulfill his duties at the new king's side. He wasn't sure what the future would hold, but he was sure to prove he was up to the task.

Just then, there was a knock at his door. Ignis snapped his thoughts back to his surroundings. "Come in," he said.

He heard the door creak open and someone take a few steps inside. "Hey. How're you doing this morning, Iggy?" the person asked. The voice was gruff - definitely Gladio's.

"I'm afraid there hasn't been much improvement," Ignis responded.

Gladiolus realized that Ignis stared straight ahead at the wall in front of him and didn't turn his gaze to meet him. It wasn't a good sign. He sighed. "Well, the doctor is coming soon to check in on you," he said. "May I help get you anything?"

"No, I am quite all right for the moment, but thank you."

Gladiolus saw that on the end table next to Ignis' bed was a full glass of water and an untouched breakfast. "Hey, Iggy," he said. "You haven't touched your food. You need to keep your strength up."

"Oh. I am afraid I haven't thought much about food. I didn't even realize that it was time for breakfast."

Gladiolus expected Ignis to start eating, but rather he sat where he was and didn't make any effort to move.

"Hey. I want you to be honest now," Gladiolus said to him. "Do you even know where your food is? Can you see anything?"

Ignis hesitated before replying. "I am afraid the most I can tell is that it is currently daytime. Even then, it feels barely any different from the night."

"How much can you recognize me?"

"…I cannot see any of you."

Gladiolus dropped his gaze down to the floor for a moment before glancing back at the food. He grabbed the bowl of oatmeal on the end table and stirred it a couple of times. "Oatmeal. It's still warm," he said. "Should I hand you the bowl, or do you need more help?"

"I believe if you could hand it to me, I should manage fine."

Gladiolus passed the bowl of oatmeal to Ignis, making sure it was secure in his hands before letting go. Ignis began to slowly scoop spoonfuls up and eat them.

"It's not as good as what you'd make," Gladiolus said. "Guess this means we'll have to go a while without your cooking until your eyesight gets better."

Ignis wiped a bit of oatmeal from the corner of his mouth. "I am sure we can find alternative forms of food easily enough," he replied, putting down the bowl. "But Gladio, how is Noct? Any word from Prompto?"

"Prompto's watching over him right now. The kid didn't leave his side all night. Nothing new to report though. Seems like he will recover, but who knows how long that will take."

"And any word on the Lady Lunafreya?"

Gladiolus hesitated before answering, "They're still out there searching. No luck yet at recovering a body. They presume she's dead," he replied.

Ignis nodded slowly. "That news will not be easy for His Highness to bear. Yet we must keep pushing forward."

"For now though, we're not going anywhere until everyone recovers. We still have a long fight ahead. Rest up. I think I hear the doctor coming down the hall."

Surely enough, there was soon a knock at the door, and a doctor walked in. The stress of the past day was clearly painted across his face. It appeared as though he hadn't slept since the attack. A nurse followed right behind him with a tray of supplies. Gladiolus moved out of the way as the doctor quickly got to work grabbing what he needed.

"Hey, doc," Gladiolus said. "You look exhausted."

"The need is too great in this city," the doctor replied. "I will tend to your friend and the prince. Then I shall rest." He turned to Ignis. "How is the pain today?"

"It feels raw and sore, but I think I am growing used to the discomfort."

The doctor turned Ignis' face to the side to examine the wound. "No signs of any infection forming. Make sure you continue to gently wash it out twice a day, and I will give you some ointment to help with the pain." The doctor grabbed a small light and waved it in front of Ignis' eyes. "Now I need you to try to open your eyes to the best of your ability," he said. "I need to check on them."

Ignis struggled, barely creating enough space for the doctor to glance at his eyes through clumped eyelashes that felt as if they were glued together.

"Both of your eyes have been badly damaged," the doctor said, again turning Ignis' head to get a better view. "Your sight will never be what it once was, I am afraid."

"But will my sight improve?" Ignis asked.

"Your eyes need time to heal," the doctor replied. "It is possible for your vision to improve again with time. And as your wound heals, you should also be able to open your eyes again more easily. Don't push yourself. Make sure you get your rest and remember to clean the area properly each day."

"That won't be an issue," Gladiolus chimed in. "Ignis is meticulous at following instructions and procedures."

The doctor stood back up, and began to grab supplies for Ignis. "I am leaving all that you need on your end table," he said. Then he turned to Gladiolus. "I assume you will help him if he needs it." Gladiolus nodded. "Ignis," the doctor continued. "For the time being, I would also recommend investing in a walking cane to help you around. I don't know how much your eyesight will improve, so to prepare for the worst, it would be a good idea to learn to walk with it."

The nurse gathered up the doctor's things and also grabbed the leftovers of Ignis' breakfast. The doctor began to follow her out the door, but stopped and turned back to his patient. "Do you have any other questions for the time being?" he asked.

"No. I think I mostly need time to process this all now. Thank you for your help."

"Let one of us know if something changes," the doctor said. He gave a quick nod and closed the door behind him.

There was a moment of silence between the two friends once the doctor left. Finally, Gladiolus spoke. "So what are you planning on doing, Iggy?" he asked.

Ignis sighed. "There is only one thing to do. I will do what I can to adapt to my situation so I may continue to look after the prince."

"You think you're gonna be able to do that?" Gladiolus asked. He knew Ignis wanted to stay, but was wasn't sure that was viable if his situation didn't improve.

"It is my duty," Ignis replied. "I must keep pushing forward. I know of nothing else."

* * *

CHAPTER 2 PREVIEW

Ignis and Prompto are looking after Prince Noctis when they get an unexpected visit from a familiar canine companion.


End file.
